Northern Scotland

Date of this event: May 3-4, 2013

This leg of our journey took us from point C (John o' Groats) to point E (Ullapool).

Dounreay (Gaelic: Dùnrath) is on the north coast of Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland. Dounreay was originally the site of a castle (now a ruin) and its name derives from the Gaelic for 'fort on a mound. Since the 1950s it has been the site of two nuclear establishments, for the development of prototype fast breeder reactors and submarine reactor testing. Most of these facilities are now being decommissioned.

Male pheasant

These pictures don't quite capture the experience. This is the middle of nowhere. It is wild, it is peaceful, it is majestic. There is no noise except the wind and occasionally the waves near the coast. There is slight chill in the air that makes everything feel still and calm.

Near the town of Tongue

The mighty Nissan Micra that always had just enough power to make it up the Scottish mountains. This car has taken us on the best road-trips of our lives thus far!

Rumour has it that there are more sheep in Scotland than people!

Smoo Cave is located in Durness, point D on the google map photo above.

"Essentially the cave can be thought of as two caves formed by different mechanisms which have joined together over time."

Here, there is a waterfall that runs into the sea cave.

Because of the roaring waterfall in the next section of the cave, there are no good pictures beyond this point.

This trail leads you in and back out of the cave.

Looking down on the top of the waterfall that pours into Smoo Cave

Once we made it to the northwest coast of Scotland, much of the drive looked like this.

Baby heilan' coo!

Snow. 

In May!

The view from our B&B

After we dropped off our bags at the B&B, we headed to the town's main attraction- a ruined castle.

James running and enjoying the ruins

Bright and early the next morning we finally made it to the much anticipated Isle of Skye!